Set-top boxes and other media content access devices are often configured to provide users with access to a large number and variety of media content choices. For example, a user may choose to experience a variety of broadcast television programs, pay-per-view services, video-on-demand programming, Internet services, and audio programming via a set-top box.
Many media content access devices include a digital video recording (“DVR”) application that allows a user to view or otherwise experience media content in one or more “trick play” modes. For example, a user may pause a presentation of a media content instance, skip to a different position within a media content instance, fast forward within a media content instance, and/or rewind within a media content instance.
DVR technology has had a significant impact on the advertising industry. In the past, the basic business model for broadcast television programming has been free or low cost distribution of media content, subsidized by the insertion of advertisements within a media content stream. However, DVR applications allow users to easily skip these advertisements. Hence, alternative approaches to distributing advertisements to DVR users are desirable.